it looks like harry reid is going to move something february 25th. that's the best-case scenario. but if the senate doesn't move we might just have a sequester. >> that is going to spell trouble. this comes back to america's $16.5 trillion in debt. a new poll from the pew research center shows that americans want their elected officials to stop kicking the this can down the road. 72% of americans say deficit reduction should be a top priority for president and the congress, up 19 percentage points in the last four years. that ranks third, by the way, behind strengthening the economy and improving the jobs situation. i'm not sure how you prioritize these things, john, because they're all important, all crucial. you say the president the uniquely positioned to deal with the deficit, coming out as the top issue for people. why? >> absolutely. for two reasons, ali. first of all, president obama is in the sweet spot of his presidency, the moment of maximum leverage that occurs for a president right after re-election. basically around 18 months at the start of a second term where a pres